Who is Kenneth Wayne Dehart? Man wanted for killing Maryville officer in Blount County, Tennessee
COPS in Tennessee have launched a manhunt for Kenneth Dehart after a Maryville officer was killed.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has issued a Blue Alert and added Dehart to the TBI’s Most Wanted list.
Who is Kenneth Dehart?
Suspect Kenneth Dehart, 42, is believed to be travelling on foot and should be considered “armed and dangerous,” the sheriff’s office said.
He is thought to have previously been driving a Lexus.
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Dehart is described as a Black man with black hair and brown eyes who stands at 6-feet tall and weighs 260 pounds.
The Blount County Sheriff's Office said he currently has dreadlocks.
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Few background details on Dehart have been released by the authorities, so far.
His last known location was in the county’s Wildwood area, according to the sheriff’s office.
He is wanted on warrants for first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to the Blount County Sherriff’s Office.
Why is Kenneth Dehart wanted by police?
Dehart is wanted in connection to the shooting and killing a sheriff’s deputy and injuring another during a traffic stop.
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The police officer killed has been named as Deputy Greg McCowan, according to Sheriff James Lee Berrong.
A second officer was injured after returning fire and she is being treated at a hospital, the sheriff said at a news conference.
The Blount County Mayor’s Office is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to Dehart’s capture
The sheriff’s department has not provided details on what led to the initial encounter.
The scene of the shooting in the 4900 block of Sevierville Road has been closed as the investigation continues.
Anyone with information on where the suspect might be should call 865-981-7125.
What is a Blue Alert?
A Blue Alert has been issued by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and have added Dehart to their most wanted list.
They are activated when a violent attack on a cop has occurred and poses an imminent threat to law enforcement or the general public.
A Blue Alert will go out to aid in the capture of criminals who kill or seriously injure local, state, or federal law enforcement officers.
The National Blue Alert system allows for communication between law enforcement, transportation, and news, social, and wireless media to inform the media and the public when someone who killed or seriously injured an officer is on the run.
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The system was created and first implemented in Florida in May 2008.
In 2015, Congress passed the National Blue Alert Act, which instructed the Department of Justice to create a national Blue Alert communication system.
